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L. MathekaMalik, Ayuko exit the Equator Rally
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 24.04.21. | 12:14
Their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 went off a wet and slippery stretch and landed into a ditch near a narrow river crossing at Soysambu
Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) division one driver Hussein Malik and his navigator Linet Ayuko have retired from the ongoing Africa Rally Championship's (ARC) Equator Rally after falling into a ditch at the Soysambu stage of the event.
Hussein Malik and Linet Ayuko speaking after falling into a ditch. #ARCEquatorRally pic.twitter.com/ecBpUgYBgL
— Equator Rally Media Kenya (@rally_kenya) April 24, 2021
This is Malik's second retirement this season as he participated in the first KNRC rally that was in Nakuru in February but unfortunately retired with mechanical gremlins.
"We came through the wash away and were climbing up, so I was just giving it power to get out of the ditch to come up and the car started pulling towards the right and into the ditch. I am disappointed with my driving Maybe I would have taken it easy," he lamented.
Malik, who was looking forward to racing at the Equator Rally as part of his preparations for the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally exits the event being run as a dry-run for the Safari, leaving 31 drivers still tackling the extremely wet routes.
A dance in the mud, #ARCEquatorRally Sleeping Warrior stage too slippery, turning out to be a daymare to drivers @AMB_A_Mohammed @alexisaboke @CapitalFMSport @wrcsafarirally @officialwrc @Hassanjumaa @ChrisMbaisi @robintoskin @MikeOkinyi @Pinkman32068507 @EliasMakori pic.twitter.com/dHg6CC1Fl8
— Equator Rally Media Kenya (@rally_kenya) April 24, 2021
“We have had to do everything in the car after our retirement. After Nakuru we have had a thorough going-over of the car, redone the suspensions and everything and we feel we are ready for the ARC. Towards that, we are preparing for the WRC. So, this weekend is going to a learning process as we look to make our debut in the WRC in June,” Malik had said in an interview prior to the Equator Rally.
Point of crash that saw Hussein Malik and Linet Ayuko bow out of the #ARCEquatorRally pic.twitter.com/Y3vaepSgq1
— Equator Rally Media Kenya (@rally_kenya) April 24, 2021
Malik says the feeling and experience of competing with the likes of Sebastien Ogier at the WRC event will be 'out of this world.' He believes the WRC experience will also gauge the locals and see how they can fair with the WRC drivers.
“Of course, we know they have superior machines. They will definitely wipe the ground with all of us but again it will make us discover new limits, so thrills and spills are guaranteed. That’s the excitement we have with the WRC boys around. The ARC with African drivers will be fun to drive but the WRC is going to be a different ball game.”
